[filmlover]

Hello. I’ve been struggling for the last 5 months or so to find a decent computer monitor that doesn’t cause eye strain or migraines. I was using an older ASUS LED monitor and was constantly in pain so I decided to look for a better option only to realize most newer monitors are that much better technology wise.

I’ve tried BenQ, ASUS, MSI, LG, and Samsung. They were all IPS 1080 and advertised as flicker free. None of them worked for me. Tried VAs lately and found some relief. Particularly with Koorui monitors oddly enough. Currently I’m using the Koorui 25E3A. It’s very decent but I’m always worried about PWM being used for backlight. I’m told DC Dimming is the way to go to further reduce eye strain. There’s no way to know for sure whether the Koorui model uses PWM or not (even with UFO testing site I’m not getting any concrete results). That said, I’m wondering if anyone has a list of models that use DC Dimming and by preference, I’d like VA recommendations since VA appears to be easier on the eyes for some reason. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

On a side note, this Koorui monitor will sometimes give me a slight headache while other times it won’t. I’ve made all necessary adjustments (ergo setup with height, sufficient light when using monitor, etc.)

[PCM2]

It seems you’re barking up the wrong tree here as the vast majority of 24″ monitors these days use DC dimming. You can usually confirm this using a sensitive camera (including on a smartphone set to a ‘pro’ mode with adjustable settings) and an appropriately high shutter speed. This is usually suitable to highlight even high frequency PWM. All BenQ models outside of their SW series use DC dimming and have done since pretty much anybody knew what PWM was in the monitor world. They were the first manufacturer to market ‘flicker-free’ and since then adopted it in nearly all of their products. The vast majority of models from the other manufacturers have since followed suite.

There are a vast array of factors affecting viewing comfort, beyond PWM. It’s difficult to pinpoint which, beyond trial and error and thinking about screens you find perfectly comfortable to use and what features they have. You may want to try a model with a wider gamut, for example, so it has a more balanced spectrum. The AOC 24G2SP(U) we recommend should be on the list for example – and that is definitely PWM-free with DC dimming like all of AOC’s models I’ve used recently.

[filmlover]

Thanks for the information and recommendation. I appreciate it. As you said, eye comfort is very personal and varies from person to person. Growing up in the late 80s, early 90s, we had CRT’s and then CCFL monitors. I know CRT’s would flicker a lot but the CCFL monitors we had were good. When companies started switching to LED backlit LCD monitors, I find I started having more of a hard time. I understand the reasons behind the switch (environmentally-friendly, more cost effective, energy saving, etc.) But somehow LED technology, I find for myself, has caused more eye strain. This applies even to smartphones using AMOLED and OLED displays. I avoid them at all costs and use LCD smartphones with no PWM. For certain things in life, I’m not a “get with the times” kind of guy. I also don’t share the belief that older products from the past were worst than today’s products. This is not always the case. Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated.

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